News

AF Group Announces Annual Employee and Leadership Awards

June 23, 2020

As one of the nation’s top workplaces in insurance, AF Group is pleased to announce the winners of its annual employee and leadership awards. These awards are presented to individuals who demonstrate outstanding character, leadership and an exceptional commitment to furthering the award-winning culture of AF Group and its brands.

2020 Leader of the Year

Dana Pierce, regional director of Business Development at United Heartland, has been recognized as the 2020 AF Group Leader of the Year.

“Having a servant leader like Dana on our team is nothing short of an honor,” said Lisa Corless, president and CEO of AF Group. “His tireless efforts to not only support his team, but also create lasting relationships across brands to find success in such a competitive market is remarkable. He is respected by his peers, teammates, agent partners and customers, and he truly deserves the honor of Leader of the Year.

Pierce, based in Charlotte, N.C., is responsible for United Heartland’s profit and growth in the Southeast region. He joined United Heartland in 2007 as a regional business development manager and has since built a strong and dynamic Business Development team. Pierce is a 26-year veteran of the insurance industry. He earned his B.S. degree in Business Administration from Appalachian State University. He participated in the AF Group Accelerated Leadership Program and was a 2014 Pfounder Award winner. He earned his Certified Authority in Workers’ Compensation (CAWC) designation in 2015.

“Dana’s industry knowledge, common sense approach and leadership attributes are a huge asset to the organization,” said Steve Cooper, president of United Heartland and Third Coast Underwriters. “He has a can do attitude and his work ethic is contagious.”

2020 Employee of the Year

Dan Bell, senior insurance operations advisor at United Heartland in New Berlin, Wis., is the 2020 AF Group Employee of the Year. His responsibilities include leadership and development of United Heartland’s Policy Center with Digital Transformation efforts.

“Dan is a true professional,” said Corless. “His strong reputation among his peers and leadership across the enterprise as a key contributor and incredible teammate is a fundamental reason why he has been named our Employee of the Year. His devotion to both United Heartland and the greater organization is best in class. I’m so proud to have him on our team.”

“Dan was trained as a multi-line underwriter and he brought those skills with him to United Heartland,” said Cooper. “He has an exceptional ability to analyze situations quickly and clearly.  He understands the complex issues involved when underwriting profit, new business production, agency management and marketing all need to be considered. Dan is an extremely valuable member of our team.”

Bell joined United Heartland in 2015. He earned his B.S. degree in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and is a Certified Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU).